Taking Action as an Antiracist
“Talk less; do more.” Jondhi Harrell (Faith and Practice 2017, p. 194)
All of us are enmeshed in that net of racism, whether we choose to be or not. But there is hope. Let me share an analogy with you. . . . Racism is very much like alcoholism. The alcoholic doesn’t choose or intend to be an alcoholic; neither you nor I choose or intend to be racists, or to benefit from a racist society. Both are things that happen to us, through no choice of our own, without our intent. The alcoholic is not a wicked, evil person; neither are you and I. . . . The illness of racism, like alcoholism, is not my fault; but it is my responsibility. I didn’t cause it, but I must and can control it.
In both cases—racism and alcoholism—the first step on the road to health is to acknowledge the reality, to stop making excuses, to stop denying it. [Bold added.]
Alison Oldham ( quoted from Plain Living: A Quaker Path to Simplicity by Catherine Whitmire
by Andrea Ayvaisian in the article below.)
A Reading and Queries
In 2003, the antiracist activist (and former Quaker) Andrea Ayvaisian looked at New England Yearly Meeting’s antiracism work. Her article is here.
Quotes from Andrea Ayvaisian:
Temptation to let acts of charity, good will, and acts of mercy substitute for change. Systematic change comes from brave acts that question systems that routinely give advantage to one group over another. And systems need to be challenged. Acts of charity often let the dominant group off the hook. We must serve guests in soup kitchens and work to eradicate the ongoing causes of poverty. We must give money to the United Negro College Fund and work to dismantle the system of tracking in most U.S. schools. It should not be change vs. charity, but acts of charity along with the continuing struggle for social change…
Following are some queries to consider:
- What sort of firm commitment do I see in my Meeting, in Quarterly Meeting, in Yearly Meeting to work for equity, on antiracism?
- As I hear stories that show White Friends acted in ways sustaining oppression for enslaved and for indigenous children – stories that often up-end Friends’ historic reputation as abolitionists, working for justice – am I growing in my ability to hear these stories with a commitment to act to bring about the Beloved Community where equity is real?
- How are my actions working to shift a ‘Quaker culture’ of ‘niceness’ and ‘quiet’ to one of sitting in the fire of discomfort and being ready to act with a commitment to bring the change we need?
Some Ideas of What to Do
What to do when you do not know what to do…. Afraid to do the wrong thing? Working by yourself?
- Find resources to continue learning and making connections
- American Friends Service Committee https://www.afsc.org/resource/workshops-offered
- Friends General Conference https://www.fgcquaker.org/deepen/help-your-meeting-challenge-racism/becoming-anti-racist-faith-community
- Black Lives Matter’s website is filled with action ideas https://www.blacklivesmatter.com
- Pendle Hill https://pendlehill.org/learn/
- Racial Justice from the Heart https://www.dramandakemp.com/racial-justice-from-the-heart-2
- 4Circles & Beyond https://www.4circlesbeyond.org/
- Soulfire Farm https://www.soulfirefarm.org/
- Highlander Center https://highlandercenter.org/
- Friends Peace Teams https://friendspeaceteams.org/
- COMING UP!! Self-study with others: for systems and self change: an exciting opportunity to study and act https://www.afsc.org/resource/self-study-changing-systems-change-ourselves-e-course
- To build confidence in discomfort and continue learning, join others to learn and explore a focus for an action – in your community or your meeting’s community.
- Encourage and enable your Meeting to use multigenerational opportunities : Books to learn from, learning about the Meeting’s history, taking actions in community together
- If you have not seen the now updated , check it out to learn about ‘being a co-conspirator’ as well as some links to material that might engage in conversations.
- Reparations : a system of redress for egregious injustices – to learn, to act
- An overview with resources to learn more: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kwxM49upY0thzsomgtlW8LCBEfBKMkwN/view?usp=sharing
- Learn from Green Street Meeting, their news With joy!! What wonderful news!
What Green Street did – here. Your Meeting can learn from this… and more!
- What do you know about Quakers and slavery? Learn about Quakers and manumissions here. What might work on repair look like?
- Join a Yearly Meeting Collaborative working for equity, justice
- Antiracism Collaborative
https://www.pym.org/anti-racism-collaborative/
- First Contact Reconciliation
https://www.pym.org/first-contact-reconciliation-collaborative/
- Middle East Collaborative
https://www.pym.org/middle-east-collaborative/
- Other collaboratives that work on issues of equity in ecojustice, legislation
- Eco-Justice Collaborative https://www.pym.org/eco-justice-collaborative/
- Legislative Policy Collaborative https://www.pym.org/legislative-policy-collaborative/
- Prepare for the long term challenges, and be curious. Don’t be fearful of disagreement.
Notice how public discourse can create confusion. So get to know ideas that emerge. Are you ready to stay with the anger and engage in listening/engagement?
- Teaching our full history – including the decisions made and why – is important.
Act by paying attention to local school board and issues, and by supporting teachers in your area who are committed to use critical race thinking ** in their curricular planning, using histories that include more than traditional texts; autobiographies:
Frederick Douglass; Mankiller (Wilma Mankiller); New ones like Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You – now in 2 versions for school age: grade school and middle school. Hear/see an interview with authors:
Decolonization! What is it about? What does it mean? There is a lot to learn, and this is an opportunity to begin to understand the importance of paying attention to the term and the discomfort of the learning. https://www.decolonizingquakers.org/ Resources continue to be developed as we all learn more together – White people, people of color, and indigenous.
Think and talk about Justice: restorative? transformative? Eastern Mennonite University explains here the differences.
**Critical Race Theory is a part of critical race thinking, and you can learn more if you wish.
A Princeton professor explains the history. The American Bar Association addresses the current misdirection of some of the rhetoric here.
Other voices about transformation:
You can’t reconcile a relationship that never existed. We don’t need any more ‘sorrys’.We have a closet full of sorrys.There’s no Cree word for Reconciliation. Only “kwayskahstahsôwin” meaning “setting things right..giving our land back would set things right.”
– Maria Campbell (source: https://pic.twitter.com/IsycfRHcR8
Transform Harm: https://transformharm.org/
AFSC ‘s essay from early 2001, In a Time of Broken Bones, was an attempt to put into words the need to rethink the whole paradigm of punishment that society is built on. https://www.afsc.org/document/time-broken-bones
Quaker and Mennonite work in these areas:
John Paul Lederach (Mennonite)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Paul_Lederach
Ruth Rittenhouse Morris (Quaker, Canadian YM) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Morris
What are your questions? your answers? Contact us: Joan Broadfield at pym.friendsnrace@gmail.com